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please don't be offended. I am anxious to hear the ideas of other teachers on this matter. And I am confused as to what is the purpose of regulating bodies of yoga teachers. I was at lecture today and our guru said no one yoga registry is endorsed by any government. Meaning no offence to the teachers who frequent this forum. But international yoga federation says they are the governing body of world yoga community and i know that Paulji is member to some degree with international yoga federation. And now I must ask what government recognises international yoga federation as an authority? There are many more organisations too. Yoga alliance from US is also very big. Our guru tells us that yoga alliance is not recognised by US government. But yoga alliance says they are support of all yoga teachers??? This is very confusing. Best of all national governing body for yoga in the UK is BWY. But under who's authority? UK government could care less and there is IYN https://www.theyogaregister.org/ who says different. It seems like anyone can make registry for yogis then claim to be government authorised. Please tell your ideas and we can all learn from it.

What your Guru said is basically true. The bad side of Yoga registries is many of them seek to divide and separate. To divide is the opposite of unity. Religion has made the same mistake. It's a sad state of affairs when this happens in Yoga.

Yoga teachers should be intelligent enough to avoid being swept up in a current of us against them, but this has not been the case. Many teachers believe they belong to the best registry and the rest be damned. Another popular sentiment is "I am superior because I am a member of _____________." This sort of talk will divide us further. This is why most teachers still remain independent. Becoming a certified teacher of Yoga is one thing, but joining a team is another.

An organization for yoga teachers should embrace everyone. And not just the elite few who belong to that group.

No organization can control an intangible subject. Governments can't control the way you think. They try but they always fail. Common sense should dictate that yoga instructors can think for themselves. But alas, some people like to be told what to do and what to think. This is why dictators and communism will always have a place. Some people, even yoga instructors want to be told what to do. All that aside, this forum gives you a chance to hear honest answers from yoga teachers around the world. If you check around you will notice most teachers don't bother to be registered. It is just another club. But you can join if you like. In considering Paul's joining of registries and organizations, he is a mentor of yoga instructors. I guess that is a diplomatic tight rope that we don't have to worry about. I would rather focus on my lesson plans than be involved in the international pecking order of yogacharyas. Bless anyone who is trying to do the right thing because most people, even yogacharyas will seek power.

There is an inherent need for us to belong to a larger group. It is like the attraction of a moth to a light. This is a double edged sword. The group should help each teacher, but sometimes the group is a web that preys on teachers. Think for yourself. Be proud to be independent. This is the way of the traditional yogi. The guru dsn't have to worry about loneliness.

Should the alliance tell us how to breath and meditate? Do you know what is good for you and your yoga students? If you don't know, you might consider teaching something else. A shepherd who leads lambs toward the wolves is worthless. Look into the registry you think is going to help you. How will they help you? What kind of support can you count on? Will they teach you? What can they teach you? What can they do for your students? Is their purpose to raise millions? Why do they need such a large war chest?

My suspicion isn't without cause. There is legal bullying going on. This is a predictable reaction to gaining power. They are drunk with new power and there is nothing yogic within any of them. They are educated and consider us as fools. Mark my words, open your eyes and you will see their true colors. Yoga is not about joining power groups who seek to enslave teachers. This is the first step to enslave yoga.

Let's be real. All of us have ego and belonging to an association that says, "I am better than you," is flattering. That's all it's about. Most of the worlds yoga registries are all that. Most yoga teachers are women so amongst each other we know the rules (I'll scratch your eyes out). Pity the poor yogi who comes into becoming a yoga instructor without his ego and a covert way to undermine the competition.

People are human and these organizations band together to squeeze, seize, and hold onto power. The agenda is to hold the power in a small groups hands and charge you as much as possible for all of the extras. Its up to yoga teachers to take a stand. But lets be real we can't get a woman for president because we don't work together.

There is a need for a yoga association that dsn't charge an arm and a leg to join.

This new global economy will kick these yoga vanity associations in the pants. If you over paid for your yoga teacher training and registration you have my sympathy. People lied and told you that you have to be registered and you believed it because some site said so. Sorry but you don't need paper at all.

Certification and some liability insurance are extras. Registration at the moment is a scam. Do these people know you and have they ever seen you at all? They haven't seen you on film or in person. They don't know you at all. Isn't that interesting? SO WHY GIVE THEM CONTROL????

The reason why Yoga Alliance exsits is to raise the bar of Yoga teacher training and to make teaching Yoga a professional trade. Student safety is important to everyone. Yoga Alliance (YA) recognizes independent study with limitations.

2. For established RYTs, YA will recognize correspondence courses and online courses as non-contact CEUs.

While there is some misinformation about YA on the Internet, the original source is not YA. After the required number of contact hours, your teacher (who must be an E-RYT equivalent) submits the necessary YA forms.

It is understood why there is a need for non-contact hours to be recognized.

Policies take a while to change and best way to make YA change its guidelines is by contacting them. If enough people do, Yoga Alliance will have more forward thinking policies.

I can understand your points, but they are ironic. The anti-establishment hippies of the 60's band together to practice yoga. After getting off drugs you continue to meditate and do yoga. Then you see the LIGHT! After a few decades you band together and create your business model (Yoga Alliance, British Wheel of Yoga, etc.) Then they create a farce, rules, guidelines, and policies for followers. It is curious how you think we can change a bunch of old cronies who gave up drugs for power. Once power is attained it is not easy to let go, because holding on is addictive. Most yoga instructors aren't driving around in a new BMW and sipping wine on a beach. It is interesting to see how this will play out. The motives of YA and BWY are transparent, but people like to play follow the leader.

Thank you for the history lesson. In some countries there is a bit of protectionism about everything. There are business permits and taxes to be paid and so on. Nevertheless, certification alone is enough in most every country I visited.

That hurts when you say old cronies. Because I looked in the mirror and the truth hurts. " title="Laughing" /> Oh well, no harm done - you also gave a good history lesson. I do agree with Parell that we need better registry choices in the US. You aren't obligated to join YA but they do want to be the yogic arm of the US government. At first they claimed they wanted to protect us from the government. But now, you can see their true faces. The have a site that looks like it was written up by Baker & McKenzie Attorneys at Law. They make it so confusing that any RYT says: "Just call the Yoga Alliance." This is not a good omen when their own members can't keep up with all of their rules.

We are beating a dead horse. You don't have to be registered, if you don't want to. Really - You should be insured if you teach yoga. Additionally, you can become a certified yoga teacher. After that feel free to remain independent. You can visit most of the ashrams with no problems.

Very few countries regulate yoga. So, who cares, you don't have to join the club. There is no big deal here. Are the registries trying to rule yoga - YES. They are not yogic at all.

Their problem is the world is too busy with wars or going broke to worry about yoga. No government has the time or desire to give them control of yoga.

I am only an intern working toward my level 1 Aura yoga teacher diploma. I agree with some of the points that teachers don't have to become registered. But I don't agree that Yoga Alliance is trying to rule Yoga. It is very North American to resist government intervention. I honor and respect this way of life. Canada and the US are much different from many other countries. Related to this - Yoga Alliance was started for good reasons and they have a new president in R. Mark Davis.

It seems that certification is a logical first step. I see many schools who want an arm and a leg for Registered Yoga Teacher credentials and everything (books, materials, and mentoring) is extra. Some require 100 hours of you teaching for free, while you mentor watches you. This is a great system for yoga schools to have free teachers all the time.

After I am teaching as an independent yoga teacher, I can see teaching opportunities. In theory - It will take me only 10 -one hour- private sessions of one-to-one teaching yoga to students for me to break even and pay off my correspondence course. So, far as an intern, I have made $240 in teaching four lessons to people who asked me to teach them.

This looks very promising in a tough econnomy. In future, I will visit Paulji for contact hours toward my RYT. My experience: Certification first - Registration maybe later.

You make alot of sense. Why spend thousands on intensive training without seeing how much of a real market for Yoga is in your neighborhood? With certification you can see how many teaching positions are in your area first hand.

Well finally logic dictates on this thread. There is no reason to worry about conspiracy theories. Very few places will refuse a certified yoga teacher with diploma in hand. Later on, you can be registered, if you so decide. And the word is new president R. Mark Davis is a good man.

Update R. Mark Davis is out and the new President is John Matthews, a Transcendental Meditater. John Matthews seems like a good guy, but I'm sure he will see the light and resign. Who really runs the yoga alliance is still open for speculation. Maybe they meet at Area 51. Whether R. Mark Davis was fired by the back room power brokers or resigned is a complete mystery.

A Yoga Alliance approved teacher training program is no better than any other. Is there any perceived legitimacy in the yoga community? Most yoga teachers find it confusing to go through their constantly changing requirements.

If you are listed as a school on their site your yoga teacher training course may no longer be running based upon what they have done in Virginia, Texas, and Michigan. If you offer these advanced yoga classes for teachers YA will not help you.

Just look at the Texas Workforce intervention into yoga certification. Yoga Alliance is not the only registry and you really don't need to be registered. Some Texas yoga teachers have been reaching out to John Matthews the new President of Yoga Alliance. Stay tuned for any developing changes.

Add Reply: Are there really any regulating bodies of yoga?

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